WASHINGTON -- U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell told lawmakers on Tuesday that U.S. economic recovery remains uneven and far from complete, and the path ahead is highly uncertain.

"The resurgence in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in recent months is causing great hardship for millions of Americans and is weighing on economic activity and job creation," Powell said at a virtual hearing before the Senate Banking Committee.

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MEXICO CITY -- Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Tuesday urged the United Nations (UN) to intervene to ensure equitable access to vaccines against the COVID-19 pandemic, especially on behalf of poorer nations.

More than 100 countries around the world have yet to receive a single dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, Lopez Obrador said during his daily press conference, accompanied by his Argentine counterpart Alberto Fernandez.

"That is totally unfair. Where is the universal brotherhood?" Lopez Obrador said, after welcoming Fernandez.

"So the UN has to intervene because it looks like a decorative vase (otherwise). And it is an agreement by all governments that must be enforced," he added.

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LONDON -- The Chinese embassy in Britain on Tuesday expressed grave concern over The Guardian's misuse of an Air China picture in one of its reports about a plane incident.

"This misuse of the picture was false reporting and misinformation, which affected the image of a Chinese enterprise," a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy said in a statement.

"The Chinese Embassy in the UK expresses grave concern over such misinformation, and requests immediate correction and apology to the Chinese company affected by the misconduct," said the statement.

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WASHINGTON -- U.S. President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday held a virtual meeting to discuss joint efforts in addressing COVID-19 and climate change, vowing to renew bilateral relations.

"For both our nations, getting COVID-19 under control at home and around the world is the immediate priority," said Biden after the meeting, noting "the United States has no closer friend than Canada."

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NAIROBI -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday evening reiterated his government's commitment to advancing Africa's agenda at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), particularly on climate change and security on the continent.

"Listen to us Africans when we tell you that the link is clear, its impact tangible, and the need for solutions urgent," Kenyatta said during a virtual UNSC open debate on the nexus between climate and security.